@contentandwell There are books, articles and videos on meditation, and plenty of extraneous products that you will fin recommended. I, however, just do with what I have. Here is an easy, achievable meditation to start: Complete Breath. Breath in through your nose to a slow count of three, filling your upper chest, ribs and abdomen with air. Try to hold for a count of 20. Then exhale through pursed lips (like blowing through a straw) in reverse of your inhale. Do this five times. Concentrate on each part of the breath. This helps me calm and resteady myself.

@2011panc thanks, I will give it a try.
JK

@rosemarya phew, done and successful. Everything went beautifully, and the cake was unbelievably good, many commented that it was the best wedding cake they had ever had! I couldn’t have hoped for things to go better. The woman from the caterer was positively wonderful, by the time she left she felt like family. I did eat too many goodies though so from now until the reception in two weeks I will need to be very, very good. The only thing I regretted was that our son could not be there. Things were set up though so he could see the ceremony live.
JK

@lcamino, @mklapperich, @2011panc, @contentandwell, I am happy to hear of all of your methods to maintain good eating during 'stressful' times. I appreciate that you are sharing your techniques. You are helping to me to maintain and to stay loyal to my own commitments. To all of you, I say, "Be proud and hold your head up because you are doing the healthy things that your body needs!"

As a liver/kidney recipient, I do avoid alcohol completely. I do not ever want to give the impression that I am risking my liver's happiness. This has brought on good comments from people who know of my transplant, and awkward moments to those who just don't get it.
Rosemary

@contentandwell - JK, Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful!!!!
Your planning, worry, and stress were all really worthwhile. I am so happy for you that it all came together. You and your husband have given your daughter and your son-in-law have a beautiful beginning to their new life. Now the memories can begin, too.
Congratulations to all.
The pictures are so sweet. Thanks for sharing.
Rosemary

@contentandwell, After my transplant surgery, I did have a morphine (I think) pump in the hospital. When I was released from hospital I had a prescription pain med (Don't know what) I did not need it much and didn't like how it made me feel, so I mostly chose to take the extra strength Tylenol that I was allowed to take - as long as I stayed under the recommended dosage. I do think I used the Rx at bedtime, though.
JK, after 8 years, I don't know how accurate this information actually is! I did not write it in m y journal, and I checked with my husband. He doesn't remember either.
I guess this means that, "No", I did not have to wean off it.
Rosemary

@rosemarya - As life has thrown its curve balls at my family I have found that when you are open and honest with people about what you are going through some will respond in love and be supportive but there will always be other responses that result in "awkward moments". I have learned to accept those moments and not take them personally, although sometimes it is harder than others.

@contentandwell

Lovely pictures - I'm so happy that everything came together so beautifully!

Teresa

@rosemarya thanks for the input. When I had my other knee replacement my experience was similar to yours. I was able to quickly go to just one before bedtime. It was either OxyContin or oxycodone, the lesser of those two, so then dropping that one a day was easy. I am taking these multiple times a day though. Technically every four hours is permissible but I stretch that for as long as I can, often I can make it through 7 hours. The pain is finally showing improvement so I think I will try to drop the dilaudid tomorrow.
JK

@rosemarya thank you. Laura really did look lovely. Now I can have MY life back. It was a lot of work but everything went so well it was worth it.
JK